# Carter Bahns: Bahns argues the 5-0 49ers are the NFL's new Super Bowl favorite, with the inside track to the NFC West title, a postseason berth and the franchise's first championship in 32 years. They also expect Caleb Williams and Michael Penix Jr. to be available for Week 6. **Claimed:** Oct 15, 2026 **Pundit:** Carter Bahns — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/carter-bahns **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/super-bowl-stock-report-for-nfl-week-6/ 5 checkable claims — 2 availability calls, 1 division winner, 1 playoff pick and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > Frankly, they might just win the Super Bowl regardless of who is available. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - “Williams is on track to play in Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons.” - Kind: Availability Calls · About: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers to win the Super Bowl** - Kind: Super Bowl Picks · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - “There was a chance this would be a clash between backup quarterbacks given Williams' hamstring issue and the rib injury Michael Penix Jr. sustained on "Sunday Night Football," but both are on track to play. (Week 6, Bears at Falcons)” - Kind: Availability Calls · About: Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Caleb Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-williams - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Michael Penix Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/michael-penix-jr - Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/falcons ## What others said about the same people - Parker Hurley on Khalid Kareem: Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a729417-69ee-493a-9bec-d905fd1a7082 (scored 0) - Alex Curry on Kirk Cousins: Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be taken No. 1 overall by the Raiders and to be thrown into the starting lineup immediately, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta within weeks. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2c6097f9-30ad-42dc-863f-e507225b7edc (scored 100) - Alex Curry on Kirk Cousins: Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be the No. 1 overall pick and land with the Raiders, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1c269ea1-7c35-4039-827d-ec1130aa0e04 (scored 100) - JP Acosta on Kirk Cousins: Acosta expects John Harbaugh's Giants to jump to roughly seven wins in year one, and forecast several offseason moves: Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, Daniel Jones returning to the Colts, Kirk Cousins being released by Atlanta, and Brandon Aiyuk leaving San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/17ab1ec5-a2f1-41c6-a6df-a0e6d949351b (scored 100) - Gregg Rosenthal on Kirk Cousins: Rosenthal gave their award ballot: Drake May atop their MVP list (though they expect Matthew Stafford to actually win), Myles Garrett for Defensive Player of the Year, Bijan Robinson for Offensive Player of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Carson Schwesinger for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Mike Macdonald for Coach of the Year and Broncos O-line coach Zach Strief for Assistant Coach of the Year. They also expect Kirk Cousins to be cut by Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d3a0da31-6e2f-4298-b5a5-b887333d3fd6 (scored 100) - John Middlekauff on Caleb Williams: Middlekauff expects either Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson to win this year's MVP, calling them the two best players in the league. They are pessimistic on the Bears, forecasting six or seven wins and saying they'd bet Caleb Williams doesn't work out as a franchise quarterback. They also see Oklahoma's John Mattier as a first-round pick who'll be in the Heisman mix. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/deaaf3f6-e53e-4080-a0ca-d5f872b54c6a (scored 0) ## More availability calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Ralph Ventre on Alec Anderson: Ventre projects Buffalo's Week 10 offensive line at the Jets to feature Dawkins, Anderson, McGovern and Torrence back in place, with Tylan Grable making a third straight start at right tackle in place of Spencer Brown, who appears headed for the inactive list. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/502dbcca-dbd3-4dd4-8651-90eb81186894 (not settled) - Derek Brown on David Montgomery: Brown picked Green Bay to beat Minnesota in the Week 10 meeting, and raised doubt that Garrett Wilson would play for the Jets coming out of concussion protocol, while also not expecting David Montgomery back this week. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99b66682-dd11-4ee3-af45-70c74b6fad8a (not settled) - Shanna McCarriston on Drew Lock: Previewing three Week 10 games, McCarriston expects the Steelers-Bengals rematch to be a close, exciting contest, with one team's four-game win streak ending. Notes that Deshaun Watson is set to return for Cleveland against Houston, and that Fernando Mendoza will make a first NFL start for the Raiders against Seattle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0901b3fc-310e-4e0d-bf03-f27d67b600ee (not settled) - Ian Rapoport on Spencer Brown: Rapoport expected Spencer Brown to be available for Buffalo on Sunday despite the missed practice time, saw Lamar Jackson returning from thumb surgery around Week 16 or 17 if Baltimore stays alive, said the Chargers have no intention of moving on from Justin Herbert, and expected George Pickens to play for Dallas. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/76335ec2-fa1c-49bc-839c-6be609176806 (not settled) - Jared Koch on Keylan Rutledge: Koch wrote that rookie left guard Keylan Rutledge is likely to miss the Week 10 game against the Browns, with fellow rookie Febechi Nwaiwu expected to make a first NFL start at left guard in place of Rutledge, ahead of the more experienced Wyatt Teller. Koch also expects the stinger absence to be brief. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/39edf825-af06-440e-a4e4-9fa612d73052 (not settled) - Michael David Smith on Jacob Saylors: Smith wrote that despite a questionable designation with a rib injury, Amon-Ra St. Brown is extremely unlikely to miss the Lions' game against the Patriots in Germany, and also expects Jared Goff, Brian Branch, Jacob Saylors and DJ Wonnum to all play Sunday after full practices. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/73dd82df-1385-4037-8020-bf4ff296e2b5 (not settled) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. 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